Micronutrient deficiencies are typically caused by a lack of nutrient dense meals. The global burden of malnutrition continues to increase, with more than 768 million people suffering from hunger in 2020, that is 118 million more than that in 2019. As a result, nearly 320 million more people faced food insecurity in 2020 than in 2019, an increase of almost one third. Food fortification involves adding one or more micronutrients that the meal is deficient in to increase its nutritional value. The chapter highlights the importance of biofortification of crops to enhance crop nutritional profile by advanced agricultural practices (Agronomic biofortification, genetic engineering, traditional breeding) to diminish micronutrient deficiencies and thus micro-nutrient malnutrition and to combat hidden hunger. In order to fight with hidden hunger, many international agencies, national programs, and seed companies are developing bio-fortified crops. Harvest Plus, launched in 2006, brings together international and national efforts to improve the micronutrient levels of major staple crops. The chapter explores all the fundamental concepts and approaches of biofortification to increase crop nutritional value. The purpose of agronomic biofortification is to increase the proportion and bioavailability of nutrients in land or agricultural crops, in order to promote crop strength and productivity. Examples of some biofortified food crops are high iron beans, provitamin A maize, golden rice, zinc wheat, provitamin A orange fleshed sweet potatoes. Collaboration between government and corporate agencies is required to enhance biofortification for sustainable environmental development and to reduce malnutrition in society.
Bio-fortification, Micronutrients, Food, Crops, Agronomic biofortification
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